Written by: Anthony Chan, Shubham Kumar
Translation: Plain Language Blockchain
The lifecycle of scientific research is often fraught with obstacles. Take new drug development as an example; this process is exceptionally lengthy and costly, characterized by high failure rates—95% of drugs ultimately fail after entering human trials, with average development costs exceeding $2 billion and taking over 13 years! Furthermore, the funding model for academic research is overly biased towards established researchers, leading to a shortage of funding for innovative and non-traditional projects. Simultaneously, the pressure to publish papers or research findings has given rise to issues like over-speculation, difficulties in reproducing results, and systemic inequalities where minority groups are often disadvantaged. These systemic issues highlight the need for innovative solutions to democratize research funding, promote collaboration, and uphold the integrity of scientific discoveries. Therefore, this article aims to explore two key questions: (1) Why is decentralized science (DeSci) needed? (2) How does it address existing issues?
1. What is decentralized science (DeSci)?
Decentralized Science (DeSci) is an emerging movement that leverages blockchain technology to tackle core challenges in the scientific field, such as funding shortages, lack of transparency, and collaboration difficulties. By utilizing decentralized technologies like tokens, NFTs, and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), DeSci aims to create a more open, community-driven, and incentivized model for scientific research. It promotes transparent funding models, peer review processes, and data sharing by eliminating traditional intermediaries. Projects like VitaDAO, Molecule, and AminoChain demonstrate how decentralized platforms redefine the funding, conducting, and dissemination of scientific research, bridging the gap between basic research and clinical application while ensuring ownership and transparency in data management.
2. Problem statement
1) Inefficient research funding system
The current research funding system is highly inefficient, with researchers spending nearly 80% of their time on grant applications and only 20% of their time actually conducting research. Imagine if software developers had to spend most of their energy securing funding instead of focusing on programming; the pace of technological advancement would undoubtedly slow significantly, just as the existing outdated processes are hindering scientific innovation. The barriers faced by early-career researchers are particularly pronounced, as most funding and resources are dominated by senior scientists. This preferential treatment stifles the emergence of novel and unconventional ideas while also limiting opportunities, especially in underrepresented regions. Moreover, the centralized, competitive, and conservative funding allocation systems prioritize cliched and mundane research over impactful directions.
2) Outdated research infrastructure and fragmented data management systems
The research ecosystem faces significant challenges from outdated infrastructure and decentralized data management systems. Platforms like GitHub for code and Dropbox for data create 'information silos' that limit collaborative efficiency. Moreover, many data repositories fail to meet FAIR standards (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability), leading to a significant loss of data—an estimated 80% data loss rate over 20 years, primarily due to issues like link rot. Additionally, intellectual property (IP) is often controlled by institutions rather than researchers, meaning that when scientists change institutions, they may lose control over their research, leading to early data and informal collaborations being inadequately protected. These issues, compounded by insufficient interoperability between systems and the use of outdated tools like fax machines, not only hinder collaboration but also obstruct AI-driven research and overall slow the pace of scientific progress.
3) Low incentives for repeat experiments and unpaid peer review
Repeating experiments is a critical step in validating scientific discoveries, yet this stage has been severely neglected due to academic journals prioritizing novel findings. This has led to the so-called 'reproducibility crisis,' with estimates suggesting that 70% of published research cannot be replicated. Furthermore, scientists often work unpaid during the peer review process, with the time invested estimated to be worth $1.5 billion annually. However, this process frequently lacks transparency and fairness. To improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of scientific research, it is essential to address issues related to incentive mechanisms and compatibility.
4) Oligopoly in the scientific publishing field
The global academic publishing market is dominated by five major publishers, controlling nearly 50% of the market share and generating $19 billion in revenue each year, with profit margins as high as 40%. This oligopoly positions publishers as 'gatekeepers,' prioritizing profit over scientific value. High publication fees (around $2,000 to $12,000 per article) create significant barriers for underfunded researchers, particularly scholars in developing regions. In terms of access, the price for a single article can reach $35 to $50, further limiting the dissemination of critical knowledge. These high costs and restrictive policies exacerbate inequalities in knowledge sharing, privileging wealthier institutions and regions while excluding underfunded scientists and communities.
5) The 'Valley of Death' in research fields
The traditional new drug development process is time-consuming and costly, typically taking 10 to 13 years and exceeding $2 billion to bring a new drug to market. In this process, pharmaceutical companies often operate in silos rather than collaborating in a globally interconnected market, leading to redundant labor and missed opportunities to tackle diseases like cancer collectively. The most critical barrier in this process is the 'valley of death,' the stage between basic research and commercialization. During this phase, many promising projects require significant funding to scale, but financial support drastically decreases. With 95% of drugs failing in human trials, this funding gap becomes a major obstacle preventing many transformative innovations from reaching the market and benefiting public life.
6) Lack of patient-centered models and data privacy protections in biomedical research
Every year, thousands of people donate biological samples to support medical research, but the current system excludes these donors from the lifecycle of their contributions. Donors typically sign a consent form and then lose track of how their samples are used, which undermines trust and reduces willingness to participate, leading to consent rates as low as 25% in major institutions. Centralized systems exacerbate this issue by failing to effectively track the use of samples or properly manage donor consent, while also facing risks of data breaches that threaten the security of sensitive information. This lack of transparency and security limits the availability of high-quality data, slows scientific progress, and hinders the development of life-saving treatments.
3. Solutions
Decentralized Science (DeSci) addresses many major challenges in traditional research ecosystems by leveraging blockchain technology, decentralized networks, and innovative incentive mechanisms. These solutions aim to enhance the accessibility, transparency, funding allocation mechanisms, and collaboration levels in scientific research. Below is an overview of how DeSci addresses key issues in the scientific community:
1) DAOs: Empowering collaborative governance in science
Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) provide a decentralized, community-driven resource allocation and decision-making framework for scientific research. By democratizing resource allocation, DAOs enable scientists, investors, and other stakeholders to jointly propose and vote on research projects, fostering a collaborative and transparent research environment. A practical example is BIO Protocol, a decentralized platform that leverages blockchain technology to help communities fund and accelerate scientific research. BIO Protocol supports the creation and funding of BioDAOs (Biological Decentralized Autonomous Organizations), which focus on specific medical challenges, pooling resources and expertise to drive innovation.
HairDAO: Developed a consumer product Foll1C0ol for treating hair loss and owns the patent under the DAO.
CerebrumDAO: Raised $1.5 million for brain health research in collaboration with Fission Pharma to address neurodegenerative diseases.
ValleyDAO: Focused on synthetic biology, raised $2 million in collaboration with Imperial College London.
AthenaDAO: Focused on women's health research, funding a project worth $500,000, with 14 intellectual property transactions pending.
CryoDAO: Raised $3 million to advance cryobiology research in collaboration with the Oxford Cryogenic Technology team.
Quantum Biology DAO: Led by a PhD from MIT, pioneering quantum microscopy to unlock new research possibilities.
Long COVID Labs: Led by neuroscientists from Stanford University, accelerating research on long COVID, focusing on the health issues affecting millions globally.
2) Decentralized, persistent, and accessible research data
DeSci platforms provide researchers with a secure and decentralized way to store data, manuscripts, and research materials. Through blockchain technology, these platforms ensure the long-term accessibility of research data, mitigating the issue of data unavailability due to broken links (link rot). For example, platforms like DeSci Nodes offer decentralized storage, guaranteeing the permanence and immutability of research outcomes. Additionally, DeSci platforms are built around the FAIR data principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable). Each dataset is accompanied by metadata that details how the data was generated, enabling other researchers to easily find and reuse the data. The integration of FAIR principles not only enhances the accessibility of scientific data but also encourages collaboration and reduces waste from redundant research.
3) Reproducibility and peer review incentive mechanisms: Addressing the scientific reproducibility issue
A significant issue in current scientific research is the 'reproducibility crisis,' where many studies fail to yield the same results in repeated experiments. DeSci is actively addressing this issue by incentivizing scientists to replicate experiments or review others' research. For instance, the ResearchHub platform, supported by Coinbase founder Brian Armstrong, uses token rewards to encourage scientists to validate research findings, share feedback, and participate in peer review. This mechanism motivates researchers to carefully check results, ensuring published research is more reliable. By promoting collaboration and transparency, DeSci is helping to resolve this long-standing issue in traditional science.
4) Open access and programmatic publishing
DeSci platforms eliminate the paywall barriers of traditional publishing by offering open access options, allowing scientists to freely share their research findings. For instance, DeSci Publish allows researchers to upload and disseminate research content without incurring high publication fees, ensuring that scientific discoveries receive broader dissemination and impact. Additionally, programmatic publishing accelerates the research-to-publication process by automating tasks such as manuscript submission, formatting, peer review coordination, metadata creation, revision tracking, and dissemination, alleviating the burden of manual submissions and enabling researchers to focus on the research itself rather than tedious administrative tasks. A practical example is the Etica Protocol, a decentralized science (DeSci) initiative that revolutionizes medical research by eliminating intellectual property (IP) restrictions and promoting open-source collaboration. Launched in April 2022, Etica operates on blockchain technology, allowing researchers to freely share research findings and receive financial rewards throughout the research process. By bypassing traditional patent systems and restrictive licensing agreements, Etica creates a fair and efficient framework that accelerates the innovation process while ensuring affordable pricing for treatments and equitable access to medical advancements.
Core features
Decentralized proposals: Researchers submit proposals related to specific diseases and evaluate them through community voting on the blockchain.
Staking and voting: Token holders stake Etica Tokens (ETI) to participate in voting, receiving rewards for correct votes and facing penalties for incorrect votes, ensuring accountability.
Dynamic approval thresholds: Proposal approval thresholds are adjusted dynamically based on voting patterns to balance fairness and rigor.
Privacy and transparency: A two-step voting system ensures privacy during the voting process while providing transparency after results are revealed.
Research areas of the Etica Protocol
Etica Protocol drives open-source medical research across multiple key health challenges, focusing on global diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes. Meanwhile, collaboration on the platform is advancing innovative solutions for Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as well as actively addressing global issues such as malaria and pneumoconiosis (occupational lung disease). Additionally, Etica supports research on cystic fibrosis and addiction issues, as well as longevity research aimed at increasing lifespan and fundamental research exploring basic scientific questions. These research areas showcase Etica's tangible impact and encourage active participation to drive accessible and equitable medical solutions.
5) IP-NFTs: Empowering researchers and securing ownership
Decentralized Science (DeSci) fundamentally changes the funding, management, and innovation ownership models in scientific research by introducing a transparent and efficient framework, much like how blockchain has disrupted financial systems. DeSci addresses the 'valley of death' issue in research—where many promising projects fail between basic research and commercialization due to a lack of funding—by utilizing decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and non-fungible tokens for intellectual property (IP-NFTs). Through DAOs, researchers can directly access a global funding network, bypassing traditional barriers and ensuring early projects receive the necessary resources to scale. This decentralized approach not only accelerates innovation but also democratizes funding access, fostering global collaboration and advancing scientific progress. IP-NFTs are the core technology of this transformation, with a framework based on the Ethereum blockchain that integrates legal contracts, smart contracts, and encrypted private data stored on decentralized platforms like Arweave and Filecoin. By tokenizing research projects, IP-NFTs enable efficient funding, transparent governance, and collective ownership, empowering researchers while ensuring fair access to scientific outcomes. Here are relevant examples to illustrate this.
Key advantages of IP-NFTs:
Monetization: Researchers can directly sell IP-NFTs to raise funds for research and potentially earn substantial financial returns.
Open access and control: IP-NFTs can be combined with open access models, ensuring research findings are publicly accessible while retaining ownership.
Practical examples
Molecule is a leading platform innovating scientific research funding through IP-NFTs. By tokenizing intellectual property, Molecule enables researchers to raise funds directly from a global community of investors, patients, and enthusiasts.
Over $30 million in funding has been raised through the Molecule ecosystem to support decentralized scientific research.
29 research projects funded, covering niche areas such as rare diseases and quantum biology.
15,700+ community members, including scientists, investors, and supporters.
$1.95 million in direct funding for cutting-edge research projects, achieving significant progress in underfunded areas.
VitaDAO demonstrates the transformative potential of IP-NFTs in scientific research by decentralizing funding and governance through blockchain technology. VitaDAO has deployed over $4.2 million in funding, supporting 24 research projects and evaluating over 200 projects, fostering collaboration and transparency in advancing breakthrough longevity science. Its $6 million in liquid assets showcases how decentralized mechanisms effectively support innovative research and advance key scientific fields.
6) Project examples funded through IP-NFTs
Discovering new autophagy activators
Laboratory: Newcastle University Korolchuk Lab
Research focus: Seeking compounds to restore autophagic function in aging cells, addressing cellular recycling mechanisms related to aging and disease.
Funding amount: $285,000
Longevity biotechnology based on naked mole rats
Laboratory: Gorbunova Lab
Research focus: Developing therapies based on high molecular weight hyaluronic acid, leveraging its anti-cancer and longevity properties.
Funding amount: $300,000
Longevity molecules
Laboratory: Scheibye-Knudsen Lab
Research focus: Analyzing 1.04 billion prescription records using machine learning to find drugs that could extend human lifespan.
Funding amount: $537,000
ApoptoSENS: CAR-NK cells for eliminating senescent cells
Research focus: Developing CAR-NK cells to eliminate senescent cells and treat age-related diseases.
Funding amount: $253,000
Innovative mitochondrial autophagy activators for Alzheimer's disease
Laboratory: Fang Lab
Research focus: Utilizing AI to identify candidate drugs that restore mitochondrial autophagy, potentially treating Alzheimer's disease and other age-related diseases.
Funding amount: $300,000
Reversing periodontal disease through aging science
Laboratory: An Lab
Research focus: Testing compounds targeting inflammation to treat age-related periodontitis and improve human healthspan.
Funding amount: $330,000
ARTAN Bio: Mutation-specific codon suppression targeting aging and longevity
Company: ARTAN Bio
Research focus: Developing interventions for nonsense mutations that lead to age-related diseases and cancer.
Funding amount: $91,300
7) Decentralization in the biomedical field
Decentralized Science (DeSci) offers a transformative solution by placing patients and donors at the center of the research process. Leveraging blockchain technology, DeSci ensures donors have control over their biological samples, allowing them to understand how their samples are used and even receive financial compensation when their samples are commercialized. This approach enhances trust and encourages participation. Meanwhile, decentralized systems provide higher security for sensitive data, ensuring data is securely stored and only accessible with proper authorization. By replacing centralized data repositories with the transparency and immutability of blockchain, DeSci protects privacy and accelerates progress in biomedical research.
AminoChain: Transforming biomedical research through decentralized science
AminoChain is revolutionizing biomedical research by building a decentralized platform that connects healthcare institutions and empowers patients. The project has raised $7 million in funding, including a $5 million seed round led by a16z crypto and Cercano, to establish a transparent and efficient system for managing biological samples and medical data. At the core of AminoChain is Amino Node, a software package that integrates with existing healthcare systems (such as electronic health records and inventory management tools). Amino Node standardizes data into a universal format while ensuring data is securely stored on institutional servers. By achieving data unification across the network, AminoChain facilitates the development of patient-centered applications and promotes collaboration between healthcare institutions. One of its key applications is the Specimen Center, a peer-to-peer marketplace platform for biological samples. Researchers can search and request samples from biobanks through this platform while maintaining compliance and tracking sample provenance. Tasks that traditionally take weeks to complete are streamlined into efficient workflows, accelerating the realization of research outcomes. Notably, donors can track the use of their samples, gain insights generated from their contributions, and receive financial rewards when their samples are commercialized, further enhancing trust and participation. AminoChain's uniqueness lies in deeply embedding bioethics into its core operations, prioritizing transparency and benefit-sharing for patients while facilitating research and collaboration in the biomedical field.
4) A bright future for decentralized science: A revolution in research funding
Decentralized Science (DeSci) is rapidly changing the way research funding and execution are conducted, unlocking new possibilities for innovation and collaboration. Since 2023, more than 7 specialized decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) have been established, collectively assessing over 2,000 projects and granting more than $70 million through on-chain channels. These DAOs cover a diverse range of fields, including psychedelic research, hair loss treatments, cryobiology, neuroscience, and cutting-edge quantum biology research. Although currently only 0.5% of projects receive funding, their impact is already significant. Over 3,000 ETH has been invested, driving the development of 5 to 6 new drugs. The first actual product—a high-dose spermidine supplement—was launched by VitaDAO and approved by the Thai Food and Drug Administration, demonstrating the tangible results of this revolutionary funding model.
6. Future project outlook for DeSci
The potential of DeSci is further demonstrated in exciting upcoming projects: 1) Curetopia
Objective: Address over 10,000 rare genetic diseases by uniting patient populations and various communities.
Method: Directly involving patients in research by placing them at the core of the study, fundamentally changing the approach to research for rare disease treatments.
2) Quantum Biology DAO
Objective: Accelerate quantum biology research, promote community building, open governance, and innovative experimentation.
Mission: To understand and manipulate biological mechanisms at the quantum level, opening new doors for scientific breakthroughs.
7. Major players supporting DeSci
The importance of decentralized science (DeSci) has attracted the attention of major players in the blockchain space. BN Labs has made a large-scale investment in BIO Protocol, a pioneering platform aimed at enabling the global community of scientists, patients, and investors to co-fund and co-own breakthrough biomedical research. BIO Protocol focuses on key areas such as rare diseases, longevity research, and mental health, and has incubated multiple BioDAOs to accelerate patient-driven innovation. Industry leaders like Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and BN CEO Zhao Changpeng (CZ) have also expressed support, personally attending a DeSci event in Bangkok. Their involvement highlights DeSci's potential to revolutionize research funding and research models globally. The development of DeSci transcends the Ethereum ecosystem, with projects like PumpDotScience on the Solana platform pushing the boundaries of decentralized science. With the support of the Solana Foundation, PumpDotScience allows users to watch live scientific experiments and tokenize longevity compounds. This innovative model has led to rapid success, with its tokens performing exceptionally well after DevCon: the market cap of $RIF reached $106 million, while $URO surged to $39 million. The decentralized science market is rapidly growing, with trading volumes exceeding $25 million and a market cap of $1.2 billion. DeSci tokens such as RSC, VITA, and HAIR, supported by Coinbase founder Brian Armstrong, are also performing strongly. These figures reflect investors' strong interest and confidence in DeSci's potential, as this field redefines the landscape of scientific development.
8. A new era of science: The DeSci revolution
Decentralized Science (DeSci) is sparking a revolution, fundamentally changing the way science is funded, implemented, and shared. With support from industry giants like BN and pioneers like Vitalik Buterin, DeSci is not just a technological innovation, but also a movement aimed at democratizing science and addressing major human challenges. Projects like BIO Protocol, Curetopia, and Quantum Biology DAO demonstrate the potential for real breakthroughs, while cross-chain collaboration expands DeSci's impact beyond Ethereum to platforms like Solana. This is not merely a speculative blockchain venture; it is about curing diseases, accelerating development, and making innovation accessible to everyone. DeSci represents an open, collaborative, and inclusive scientific future. This is not a fleeting trend, but a profound transformation in our path to progress. As this movement accelerates, we are witnessing the arrival of a new era with truly transformative significance for humanity.
